My Take-Out Shame

My wife and I were reviewing our monthly expenditures and we realized that we ordered take out 9 times in a recent month. While to some that may not be a big deal, I live on a high horse and this did not square with my self-perception (full-time fishmonger, full-time dinner cooker).

I was ashamed, embarrassed, angry and now, determined to root that out. My solution was to start tonight by replacing what could have been Thai takeout. Behold, a Thai-inspired soup with much higher quality ingredients and none of the sugar that comes with your standard Thai takeout fare (see photo above and recipe below). Note that I used a whole black sea bass (deboned after cooking in broth) instead of the suggested boneless fillets and the original recipe called for water, which I subbed with Fearless Fish Stock, which was an extraordinary move. Back on the high horse I sit.

BROTHY TOMATO AND FISH SOUP W/ LIME

Ingredients

4 Servings

Brothy Tomato and Fish Soup With Lime

October 26, 2020

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 medium shallots, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 lemongrass stalks, bottom third only, tough outer layers removed, finely chopped

2 red or green Thai or serrano chiles,finely chopped

3 medium tomatoes (about 1 lb.), seeds removed, coarsely chopped

1 1⁄4 lb. skinless, boneless any white fleshed fish - could also use a whole fish

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp. (or more) fish sauce

1/3 cup coarsely chopped dill, cilantro, and/or basil

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium. Add shallots, garlic, lemongrass, and chiles and cook, stirring occasionally, until aromatics start to soften but have not taken on any color, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, smashing and stirring, until tomatoes have burst and fallen apart and mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Pour 1 quart FEARLESS FISH STOCK into pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low so broth is at a bare simmer.

Step 3

Add fish to pot; season lightly with salt (you’ll finish soup with fish sauce). Cook until fish is opaque and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; add lime juice and fish sauce. Taste and season with more salt and/or sh sauce if needed. Stir in herbs and ladle into bowls.